Since the first newcomers arrived on Canadian soil, a sense of possibility, innovation and discovery has been a defining part of our national identity.

Although times and conditions may have changed, 21st-century newcomers to Canada have retained that innovative spirit, enriching the communities where they settle and helping to ensure the Canada of tomorrow remains as dynamic as the country of yesterday.

Canada’s strength lies in its diversity. Indeed, the story of Canadian immigration is inseparable from the story of Canada itself.

The Government of Canada is asking Canadians from coast to coast to coast to help write the next chapter of that story. We are committed to an immigration system that supports diversity and helps to grow the economy, as it strengthens the fabric of our society.

Through wide-ranging consultations, we want to hear what immigration means to you and how we can continue to grow our nation through the immigration system.

The findings of these consultations will help us as we determine the way forward on immigration to Canada.

Through this process, we will be looking to the future and taking inspiration from the spirit of possibility that has defined our history.

It is an ambitious undertaking. We are, in effect, laying part of the Canadian foundation for the next 150 years.